Chest cooler accessory

ABSTRACT

A chest cooler accessory for maintaining food items above a level of ice and water within the chest cooler that includes a rectangular elastic net that is maintained around three sides to the undersurface of the chest cooler lid to be open along the elastic net side that is adjacent to the lid latching side to pass food items into the elastic net that flexes to support them above the water and ice level during transport, and which elastic net attachment to the lid undersurface is with fasteners that do not effect the lid internal integrity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to accessory items for inclusion with portable ice chest coolers as a person will carry with them in the wilderness, to a sporting event, or in a vehicle, where ice is poured into the cooler to keep items, such as drinks, cold and to chill food items, such as sandwiches, cheese, and the like, with the accessory item for maintaining such food items above the ice and water level, protecting them from water contamination.

2. Prior Art

Heretofore, where an owner has wished to carry both drinks and food items in their ice chest for a distance, or over time, they have attempted to separate such food items as by placing non-food items, such as trays, dishes or the like above the ice level with such food items there above, or have packed the food items in separate containers, or the like. In practice, where the chest has been exposed to movement during travel, as the ice melts water has sloshed over the food items, making them undesirable for consumption. The invention, to protect such food items, employs an elastic net arrangement fixed to the undersurface of the ice chest lid, apart from the level of ice and water within the chest, for carrying the perishable food items away the melting ice while still keeping those food items cool and dry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a principal object of the present invention is to provide an elastic net for mounting to the undersurface of a conventional ice chest cooler to maintain food items above the level or ice and water within the chest during transport and over time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an elastic net arrangement of crossing elastic straps mounted on three sides to a fabric frame that push to lock fasteners are fitted through and are press fitted into holes formed in the undersurface of an ice chest cooler lid, securing the elastic net thereto, above a level of ice and water within the chest, for receiving food items passed across the open elastic net side and holding such food items above and out of the ice and water.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an elastic net arrangement that is easily and permanently mounted to an undersurface of an ice chest cooler lid to receive and protect food items fitted therein from water damage during movement of the ice chest where the installation of the elastic net will not effect the insulating characteristics of the chest lid.

The invention is an accessory item for a conventional ice chest cooler that is in an elastic net arranged for mounting to an undersurface of the chest lid and includes a flexible strap frame connected to three sides of the elastic net that receives press to lock fasteners installed at intervals around the three side of the strap frame that are push fitted into holes formed through the chest lid undersurface to lock within the lid with the unconnected side of the elastic net adjacent to the lid latch edge left open to receive food items fitted there across and held place by the net, supported above a level of ice and water in the cooler.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description in which the invention is described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation perspective view of the invention in a chest cooler accessory where the chest cooler is shown a containing ice with canned drinks therein and shows the chest lid as having been raised, exposing the chest cooler accessory as including an elastic strap net and flexible fabric frame mounted to the underside of the chest lid that is shown as containing food items;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the elastic strap net attached on three sides to the flexible fabric frame adjacent to the lid latch side of FIG. 1, and shows press to lock fasteners aligned with each of spaced holes formed through the flexible fabric frame;

FIG. 3 shows a front elevation section of the chest lid of FIG. 1 showing an operators hand turning a hand drill, forming spaced holes in the undersurface of the chest lid that are to receive the press to lock fasteners shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows the flexible fabric frame whereto is connected the elastic strap net that has space holes formed therethrough that are aligned with the holes formed in the chest lid of FIG. 3, and shows the press to lock fasteners of FIGS. 2 and 3 aligned for fitting through which aligned flexible fabric frame and lid holes;

FIG. 5 shows the flexible fabric frame and elastic strap net of the invention fitted to the undersurface of the chest lid, with the open elastic net side adjacent to the chest lid latch edge;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 of the chest lid, showing an end section of the chest lid as being filled with insulation, and showing push to lock fasteners, that have teeth that slope towards their head end, to hold the fasteners in the lid interior without damage thereto;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation sectional view of the top portion of the chest cooler and cooler lid showing the chest cooler as containing a level of ice and showing food items supported within the elastic strap net; and

FIG. 8 is a front elevation sectional view of the top portion of the chest cooler and cooler lid, with the lid closed over the chest cooler top portion, showing the elastic strap net supported above the level of ice and water in the chest cooler.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention, as is hereinafter described, is in chest cooler accessory as shown in the FIGS., and FIG. 1 shows a front elevation view of such chest cooler 10 that includes a rectangular box 11 with a lid 12 that is connected along hinge 13 that is pivoted to close over the open top of the rectangular box, as shown in FIG. 8. The rectangular box 11 includes an inner shell 11 a for fitting into the box 11, and is spaced apart therefrom to provide an air space therebetween, or to receive an insulation material 11 c installed therein, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Which FIGS. 7 and 8 also show the lid 12 as including an inner lid 12 a that is also spaced apart from the lid 12 to provide an air space therebetween, or which space can receive an insulation material 12 b installed therein.

Shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8, the chest cooler 10 rectangular box 11 is filled with a layer of ice 14 that a number of canned drinks 15 are shown immersed in. Over time and during travel that ice will melt and turn to water that, of course, will not effect the containerized drinks 15 or food items that are maintained in their own containers. However, for perishable food items 16, such as wrapped sandwiches, cheese in plastic wraps or loose wraps, fruit, or the like, when exposed to the water and ice mixture, may become uneatable. Even when the perishable food items 16 are separated from the ice and water, they may be exposed or immersed when the chest cooler is moved or tilted.

The invention is in a chest cooler accessory to overcome the problem of separation of food items 16 from the ice and water mixture by providing a simple and effective elastic net arrangement secured to the lid 12 inner surface 12 a to maintain such food items 16 above the level of ice and water 14. Shown in the FIGS. The accessory for a chest cooler 10 is in a food item support 20 that in shown in FIG. 2 as including an elastic net 21 that is formed from elastic cloth straps 22 that cross at right angles, forming the rectangular elastic net 21. Which elastic cloth straps 22 crossings 23 are preferably formed by weaving the straps over and under one another, as shown best in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8, and which crossings of the elastic cloth straps 22 are secured together, as by sewing, or by application of an adhesive thereto, or the like. So arranged, the elastic net 21 will stretch to receive food items 16 fitted therein, supporting those food items, as shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8, above the ice and water level, and will return to its unstretched attitude when the food items 16 are removed.

Further to the assembly of the rectangular net 21, FIG. 2 shows the elastic cloth straps 22 as receiving a support border 24, that has a U shape and is formed from straight sections of flexible cloth straps 25 that are secured at their corners to one another at right angles, where the border support 24 is to fit to three sides of the elastic net 21, over the elastic cloth straps 22 ends, and is secured thereto as by sewing, or with an adhesive, maintaining the support border 24 around three of the four elastic net 21 sides, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, 4 and 5, 7 and 8, with, the elastic net 21 left open on the side away from the lid hinge 13.

Shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the net 21, attached to the support border 24, forms the food item support 20, when the support border 24 is mounted to the chest cooler 10 lid undersurface 12 a. Shown in FIG. 3, to receive the food item support 20, the lid 12 inner surface 12 a has holes 18 formed, as with a hand drill 17, or other tool, into the lid inner surface 12 a that will align with holes 26 that are formed through the support border 24, as shown in FIG. 2.

To install the food item support 20 to the lid under surface 12 a, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the support border 24 holes 26 and 20 lid undersurface holes 18 are aligned and receive locking fasteners 27 press fitted through the respective holes 26 and 18, that travel into the space between the top of the lid 12 and lid undersurface 12 a, that, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, that may be filled with an insulation material 12 b, but, within the scope of this invention, may be an open space.

The locking fasteners 27, as shown best in FIG. 6, preferably each include a broad head 28 and shaft 29 where around threads 30 formed there around, and preferably has a shaft pointed end 29 a. Which individual threads 30 each preferably slopes towards the head 28. So arranged, to install the locking fasteners 27 through the lid undersurface holes 18, an operator pushes, as with their thumb or finger on the head 28, urging the shaft 29 through the aligned holes support border holes 26 and lid undersurface holes 18, and into the insulation material 12 b, or into a void, with the locking fastener 27 threads 30 flexing towards the shaft 29 as they pass through the lid undersurface 12 a holes 18, and then flex outwardly within the insulation material 12 b, or void, such the threads outer ends will bind on the lid undersurface holes 18 edges, prohibiting withdrawal, and locking the food item support 20 support border 24 to the lid 12 undersurface 12 a, as shown in FIGS. 1,5, 7 and 8.

While the locking fastener 27 as set out above is preferred for securely fastening the food item support 20 support boarder 24 onto the lid 12 undersurface 12 a, it should be understood that other fasteners having like capabilities could be so used within the scope of this disclosure. With the food item support 20 in place, food items 16, as shown in FIGS. 1. 7 and 8, can be passed through the opening between the lid 12 undersurface 12 a and rectangular net 21 top elastic strap 22 such the elastic net 21 flexes outwardly, urging the elastic straps 22 away from the lid 12 undersurface 12 a, holding the food items 16 safely in place above the level of ice and water 14, as shown in FIG. 8, during movement of the ice chest 10.

Hereinabove has been set out a description of a preferred embodiment of the chest cooler accessory of the invention. It should however, be understood that the present invention can be varied within the scope of this disclosure without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention. 

I claim:
 1. A chest cooler accessory for maintaining food items above a level of ice and water in the chest cooler comprising, a rectangular elastic net for attachment to a lid undersurface of a lid that is hinge connected along one edge to the chest cooler; a support border for attachment around three sides of said rectangular elastic net such that the side of said rectangular elastic net is open along a lid edge that is opposite to said lid hinge connection to said chest cooler; and means for securing said rectangular elastic net to said lid undersurface.
 2. The chest cooler accessory as recited in claim 1, wherein the rectangular elastic net is formed from elastic straps that are positioned to cross one another forming essentially right angles with one another, and the junctions of which said elastic straps are secured together.
 3. The chest cooler accessory as recited in claim 1, wherein the support border is formed from three sections of flexible straps that are secured together at their ends, at right angles, forming a U shape to fit over said three sides of the rectangular elastic net.
 4. The chest cooler accessory as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for securing the rectangular elastic net to the lid undersurface are push to lock fasteners that each have a broad head end to be engaged by an operator's thumb or finger, have a shaft extending at a right angle from said broad head undersurface that includes a pointed end and have spaced teeth formed there along that each slope towards said head end undersurface, and which said push to lock fasteners shaft pointed ends are to fit through spaced aligned holes formed through the support border and through holes formed through the lid undersurface, into a space between said lid and the lid undersurface. 